Puppy

Almost, at least. Sorry to jump off the fashion train, but dogs are near and dear to my heart. Having grown up with these tender, little (sometimes) creatures, I can honestly say that they really do exhibit human qualities, at least to my untrained eye. But, thanks to neuroscientist, Gregory Berns, of Emory University we now have the scientific proof to back it up.

Over the past two years, Berns has conducted a series of MRI testing on canines, including his own pup, to test their capacity for love and attachment. Research dictated that our furry friends indeed have the inherent ability to feel and display these characteristics that are largely reserved only for humans. In Bern’s op-ed article published in The New York Times, he explained that because dogs cannot speak, research has obviously been more difficult, but with the help of a trainer and MRIs they were able to look “directly at their brains and bypass[…] the constraints of behaviorism, […]” which in turn tells “us about dogs’ internal states.” Because of these findings, Berns urges dog-owners and lawmakers alike to see man’s best friend as a class of people and not property. Perhaps, this is a long-awaited stepping stone for animal rights. At the very least, it is an important reminder that pets, big and small, become part of our family and as one of my favorite quotes illustrates: